Moving walkway

Abstract

A beltway comprised of at least one beltway section which has two spaced small diameter rollers which define the ends of the section, a drive unit and a thin flexible continuous slider belt which is adapted to pass over the rollers defining the ends of the section and to be driven by the drive unit. At junctions between two beltway sections a transfer plate is located. The transfer plate is formed to terminate close to the belt on either side thereof so that there is a smooth transition from the belt to the transfer plate and is of a width, in the direction of movement of the beltways, such that a user is in contact with the receiving beltway before losing contact with the delivery beltway.

I claim: 
     
       1. A beltway system for the transport of standing passengers, said system comprising, for the full length of the system, a plurality of co-linear sequentially disposed slider belt sections moving in the same direction; each said slider belt section comprising first and second spaced small diameter rollers which define receiving and delivery ends of the corresponding section, and a thin flat flexible continuous slider belt passing over and around said rollers to provide upper and lower runs; the diameters of said small diameter rollers being less than 70 mm and said sections being disposed closely adjacent to one another so that the spacing between the upper runs of adjacent belts is such that the footwear of even the smallest standing child passenger travelling from the delivery end of the belt of one section to the receiving end of the belt of the adjacent section is in contact with the belt of the adjacent section before losing contact with the belt of the one section; a transfer plate disposed between at least first and second adjacent beltway sections and extending across the width thereof, the transfer plate having a smooth upper surface and being formed so as to terminate at each edge thereof so closely to the belt of the second section as to restrict the entrance of a body between the transfer plate and the belt of the second section and at a level so as to provide a smooth transition from the belt of the first section to the belt of the second section, the transfer plate being located, at least on the side adjacent the delivery end of the first section, below the general level of the surface of the belt of said first section, the speed of the belt of the first section in relation to the radius defined by the belt of the first section as the belt passes over the roller at the delivery end of the belt of the first section and the spacing of the transfer plate below the general level of the surface of the belt of the first section being such that a body moving from the delivery end of the belt of the first section and falling under gravity cannot strike the transfer plate until the body has passed the junction between the belt of the first section and the transfer plate. 
     
     
       2. A beltway system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transfer plate has a vertical extension depending downwardly between the belts for providing the necessary rigidity to the transfer plate to resist deformation thereof when the weight of the passengers pass thereover. 
     
     
       3. A beltway system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper surface of the transfer plate is curved. 
     
     
       4. A beltway system as claimed in claim 1 wherein adjacent beltway sections operate at different speeds to accelerate or decelerate passengers thereon. 
     
     
       5. A beltway system as claimed in claim 1 wherein adjacent beltway sections operate at the same speed. 
     
     
       6. A beltway system as claimed in claim 1 including a further slider belt section co-linear with the second slider belt section, said further section including a ribbed belt, a further transfer plate being disposed between the second section and the further section, the further section including a comb extending along the ribbed belt, said comb including teeth comprising longitudinal members which are narrower and shallower than the spacing between the ribs of the ribbed belt and which extend the length of the ribbed belt from the further transfer plate to another transfer plate located adjacent to the other end of the ribbed belt. 
     
     
       7. A beltway system for the transport of standing passengers, said system comprising, for the full length of the system, a plurality of co-linear sequentially disposed slider belt sections moving in the same direction; at least first and second slider belt sections being disposed in close end-to-end relation with no transfer plate therebetween, one of said first and second slider belt sections being the longest slider belt section of said beltway system and operating at the highest speed that any slider belt section of said beltway system operates, said first and second sections each comprising first and second spaced small diameter rollers which respectively define receiving and delivery ends of the corresponding section, and a thin flat flexible continuous slider belt passing over and around said rollers to provide upper and lower runs; the diameters of said small diameter rollers being less than 70 mm and said first and second sections being disposed so closely adjacent to one another that the spacing between the upper runs of the belts of the first and second sections is such that the footwear of even the smallest standing child passenger travelling from the delivery end of the belt of the first section to the receiving end of the belt of the second section is in contact with the belt of the second section before losing contact with the belt of the first section; the speed of the belt of the first section in relation to the radii defined by the belts of the first and second sections, as the belts of the first and second sections pass over the respective adjacent rollers of the first and second sections, being such that a body leaving the belt of the first section, travelling at approximately the speed of the belt of the first section and falling under gravity, is delivered sufficiently far above the point of closest juxtaposition of the belts of the first and second sections to ensure a successful automatic transfer of a standing, non-stepping passenger onto the belt of the second section, without any part of the footwear of that passenger contacting anything at or below the level of the belts of the first and second sections that is not a moving surface of the belt of the second section which is moving generally in the direction of travel of the system. 
     
     
       8. A beltway as claimed in claim 7 wherein adjacent beltway sections operate at different speeds to accelerate or decelerate passengers thereon. 
     
     
       9. A beltway system as claimed in claim 7 wherein adjacent beltway sections operate at the same speed. 
     
     
       10. A beltway system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said system further comprises a further slider belt section colinear with the second slider belt section, said further section including a ribbed belt, a first transfer plate being disposed between the second section and the further section, the further section including a comb extending along the ribbed belt, said comb including teeth comprising longitudinal members which are narrower and shallower than the spacing between the ribs of the ribbed belt and which extend the length of the ribbed belt from the first transfer plate to another transfer plate located adjacent to the other end of the ribbed belt.